Dish-washing machine



G. WEBB msn WASHING MACHINE A Filed Haren@ 1927 Fig. 5

.fm/@Hav is suiiicient to permit the operation of both' Patented Dec. 27, 1927i UNITED STATES y `1,654,355 PATENT ortica.

GEORGE WEBB, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSI-GNOR T0 COLTS PATENT R FIRE ARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A COR- PORATIGN 0F CONNECTICUT.

DISH-WASHING MACHINE.

Application led March 30, 1927. Serial No. 179,564.

The invention is applicable primarily to a dish washing machine of the type shown in the copending application of George The construction as disclosed in the said application includes a single manually operable lever which is mounted and connected to operate two separate valves, one orcontrolling the How of water to the upper rinse sprays and the other 4for controlling the flow ot water to the lower rinse sprays. The

`arrangement is suchv that by moving the lever in one direction one valve can be opened and that by moving the lever in the other direction the other valve can be opened. Vith the said construction both valves cannot b'e opened at one time and this'ma'y be highly advantageous for installations for which the available water pressure is very low. Under such circumstances the water pressure may not be suflicient vto eii'ectively operate the upper and lower sprays simultaneously, and it may be,

therefore, desirable to provide a construction which makes it necessary for the operator to open first one valve and then the other and which makesv it impossible for him to open both of them at the same time and thus lose the eiiiciency of the rinsing operation.

While the construction as described may be desirable for installations having insuiicient water pressure, I have found that in the majority of cases vthe water pressure the upper and the lower rinse sprays simultaneously, and that a construction which prevents simultaneous operation of both rinse sprays is disadvantageous in such cases as it forces the operator to operate the upper and lower rinse sprays separately with a consequent loss of time. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a dish washing machine of the general ty e-l disclosed in the said Webb and 'Jenks app ication but having an improved valve mechanism incorporated therein which adapts the lmachine for convenient operation either with low water pressure or with a higher and more satisfactory water pressure. In accordance with the invention the valves may be conveniently operated independently as in the prior construction when the water pressure is deficient, or they can be simul 60 taneously pperat'ed when the water pressure is4 sufficient to permit such simultaneous operation. f

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improved details of construction whereby the before stated general object of the invention is attained.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown two embodiments of the invention but it will lbe understood that these` embodiments have been selected merely for purposes of illustration and that the drawing is not to-be construed as defining or limiting 4 the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of the specification upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of 'a washing machine embodying the invention,

being relied the lower part of the machine being omitted and a part ofl the front wall of the casing being broken vaway to show interior parts.

F ig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the top cover`of the casing having been removed. I.'

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing more clearly the details of the valve operating mech- Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but show- 9o ing an alternate valve operating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents as' an entirety the main casing of the machine, this casing preferably being rectangular in toi-m. In order that dishes to be washed. a5

chine at onel side and removed therefrom at the other side, both of the side walls are provided with openings and two similar doors 2 and 3 are provided for closing 105 these openings. The doors 2 and 3 are preterably mounted so as to slide vertically.

-For lopera-ting the doors a suitable manu- Preferably in forder ally operable mechanism is provided, this' spring mechanism 7 may be provided to assist in opening the doors.

Suitable devices are provided inside of the casing for supporting the dishes to be washed, these devices being in register with theA doors. .Preferably the dishes are placed in trag's or racks'and when such racks are provi ed the supportingA devices take the form of rails 8 which extend transversely of the casing in position to receive the racks as they are introduced through one of the doors. Y

Main'spray devices are provided for de,w livering washing liquid forcibly against the dishes supported by the supporting devices. Ordinarily there are two separate sets of vmain spray devices, one being located below the dishes and the other above the dishes.

As shown there is a main supply pipe 9 'which extends vertically and which is preferably located at the front of the machine.

A manifold 10 is located inside of the casing near the top and is connected with the -supply pipe 9. A plurality of horizontal spray pipes 11, 11 are connected with the manifold 10 and extend horizontally across the casing above the spa-'3e occupied b v the dishes.

The pipes 11, 11 are provided with slots or holes,` in their bottom portions through which the washing liquid is delivered downward against the dishes. Another set of main spray ^devices is located below the dishes and comprises spray pipes 12, 12 which are connected with the pipe 9 by means of a manifold 13, 13. The pipes 12, 12have spray apertures in their upper portions through which washing liquid is deliveredA upward against the dishes. The washing liquid is supplied to the pipe 9 by means' of a suitable pump (not shown).'

In addition to the main spray devices which have` been described, there' are also provided two auxiliary rinsing spray devices oppositely located with respect to the space occupied bv the dishes, ordinarily located respect-ive y above and below the said s ace. As preferred v,and as shown, each o these auxiliary rinsing spray devices consistsof nozzles connected with suitable supply' pipes. Spray nozzles 14, 1 4 constituting the upper rinsing spray device are mounted above the dishes and are connected to receive' water through piping' 15. Spray nozzles 16, 16 constituting the. lower rinsing spray 'device are mounted below the' dishes and are connectedl to receive water through piping 17. i

- The upper and lower rinsing spray devices aresupplied withl fresh liquid, ordi,-

the front Aof the narily hot water from asource outside of the machine. Ordinarily the rinse water is supplied directly from the city water mains under the normal pressure therein, being suitably heated before reaching the spray devices. The pipes leading `to the beforementioned supply piping 15 and 17 are preferably located in the upper part of the casing immediately adjacent and preferably below the door operating mechanism, particularly thelever 4 thereof. There is a horizontal pipe 18 which connects with the piping 15 and a horizontal pipe 19 which connects with the piping 17. The pipes18 asd 1,9 are connected respectively with valves 20 and 21 which are normally closed but which are provided with horizontallyl extending stems 22 and 23 whereby they maybe opened. These two. stems project toward each other and are in alignment, or approximately so. Hot water is supplied to'- the valves 20 and 21 by means of pipes 24, v25, 26, 27 and 28. A valve 29 is yprovi'ded in the pipe 28 for regulating the water supply.

In order that steam may be admitted, either for the purpose of' heating the water or for the purpose of heilig mixed with the water lfor spraymg purposes, a steam supply pipe` 30 is provided having a. val-Ve 31 therein. By regulating .the valve. 31 th'e amount of steam introduced into the rinsing water can be regulated.

Is accordance 'with the present invention I avoid the use lof a single lever for operating both of the valves 2O and 2l and in lieu thereof-I provide two separate levers which are so mounted and so related toeachother that important advantageous results are obtained.' As 'shown most clearly iu Fig. 3 there are two levers 32and asso,L ciated respectively with the valves 20 aud21 and. positioned to engage the stems 22 and 23 thereof, portions of the. levers extending between the adjacent ends of the stems as shown.` For supporting the levers there is provided a member-.34 which preferably extends transversely between the two pipes 18 and 19 and ismounted di'rectlythereon. The 'two levers are pvotally connected with the' said transverse member 34 by means'of pivot pins 35 and 36 respectively. The two levers extend forward through a slot4 37 in the front wall -of vthe casing so as to be within convenientreach of the o perator at machine. .They are provided with convenient handles or knobs 38 and 39 adaptedto be engaged by the operator.

The spacing between the two handles 38 and 39 is preferably such lthat the operator 'can conveniently engage'both ot' them at the same time with one hand, ordinarily the right hand. As clearly indicated in Fig. 3 the operator, b placing his hand looselyupon both. han les and without closing his Ihand, can operate either lever as desired to'open the corresponding valve. By moving his hand toward the right he can move the lever 32 to open the valve 20 and admit water to the upper spray nozzles 14, 14. By moving his hand toward the left he can move the lever 33 to open the valve 21 and admit water to the lower spray nozzles 16, 16. It will be observed that while'thet'wo levers `ar'e thus independently movable to e open the valves independently of each other they are nevertheless capable of being moved simultaneously to open the valves simultaneously. The operator, with his hand ex-/ actly in the position as shown in Fig. and as requiredfor independent lever movement, can operate both levers simultaneously by simply closing his hand and drawing the two handles 38 and 39 toward each other.

Preferably in orderto makeA certain that one lever will not be moved so far as to obstruct the other I provide suitable stop means for the respective levers which prevent the movement of either of them beyond the vertical plane midway between them. As illustrated in Fig. 3 each lever is provided with an arm 40 which is adapted to engage a suitable stop such as a bolt head or nut l41 located lat the .top of the transverse member 34. I

also provide suitable stop means for limiting the outward movement of the levers and preferably for this purpose the slot 37 is made of such a length that the levers engage or approximately engage the ends of the slot when in their outermost. positions as shown in Fig. 3.

VIn Fig. 4 I have shown an alternate construction wherein the levers are pivoted at the rear of the valves instead of in front of the valves. For supporting the lever's there is provided atransverse member 34L carried by the pipes 18and 19. Two levers 32a and 33a are provided which are pivoted to the transverse member 34a at 35a and 36a respectively. The levers extend forward through the slot 37 and ar'e provided respectively with handles 38a and 39a adapted to be engaged by the operators hand as already fully explained in connection with Fig. In view of the fact that the two levers are pivoted behind the valves instead of in front of them, it is necessary that the handles 38'* and 39 of the two levers be reversed with respect to the respective valve stems.' It will be observed'that the'lever 32 which operates the valve 20 has its handle 38a at the right and that the lever 33a which operates the v alve 2l has its handle. 39a at the left. -As illustrated the two levers are so formed that the lever 33"L extends under the lever 32a. With the handles 38a and 39a of the two levers reversed as shown theoperation is exact-ly the same asthat already described.- e

In lieu of the arms- 38 for limiting the movements of the levers toward each other,

I provide a collar 42 on the pipe 24 which is engaged directly by the said levers to limit the inward movements thereof. Pretvices in the casing respectively above and below the support-ing means, two liquid supply pipes respectivelyl connected with the spray devices, normally closed valves for the respective pipes, and two independently movable manually operable levers connected respectively with the said valves and each movable toward the other to open the corresponding valve.

2. In a washing machine for dishes or similar articles, the combination of a main casing having an opening at one side for the admission of dishes to be washed, means in the casing in registry with the opening for supporting the dishes, two rinsing sp-ray devices in the casing oppositely located with respect to the supporting means, two liquid supply pipes lrespectively connected with the spray devices, normally closed valves for the respective'. pipes, and two independently movable manually operable levers connected respectively with the said valves, each lever being movable toward the other to open the corresponding valve and the two levers being closely spaced to permit their simultaneous operation by one hand of an operator to open both valves.

3. In a washing machine for dishes or similar articles, the combination of a main casing having a horizontal slot at the front and having an opening at one side for the -admission of dishes to-be washed, means in the -casing in registry with the opening for supporting the dishes, two rinsing spray devices in the casing respectively above and below the supporting means, two liquid supply pipes respectively connected with the spray devices, normally closed valves for-l the respective pipes, and two independently movable manually operable .levers connected relll) spectively with the said valves, the said levers projecting forward through the said slot'and being each movable toward the center of they slot and toward the other lever to open the corresponding. valve. l

4. Ina washing machine for dishes or similar articles, the combination of a main. casing having an opening at one side for the admission of dishes to be washed, means in the casing in registry With the opening for "l supporting the dishes, two rinsing spray devlces in the casing respectively above and be- -low lthe supporting means, two liquid supply pipes respectively connected with the vspray devices, normally closed valves for the respective pipes, the said valves having outward projectin inward movable stems and being arranged with t-he said stems extending toward each other 'in substantial alignment, and two independently movable `manually operable pivoted levers each located in part between the said stems, one lever being movable in one direction to open one valve and the other lever beingl movable in the other direction to open the other valve.

-5. In a washing umachine for dishes or similar articles, the combination of a main casing havingan opening atone side for the ladmissionoi dishesjto berwashed, meansinf the casing in registry with the opening for supporting the dishes, two rinsing spray 'devices in the casing respectively above and below the supporting means, .two parallel horizontal liquld supply pipes respectively connected with the spray'devicesnormally lclosed valves for the respective pipes, the

said valves having outward projecting inward movable stems and being arranged with the saidv stemsl extending' toward each'k other in substantial alignment, a transverse member carried by the pipes .and extending between them, and two independently movable manually operable levers pivoted tothe in the casing in registry with the opening for supporting the dishes, two rinsing spray devices in the casing respectively above and below the supporting means, two liquid supply pipes respectivel connected with the spray deviaes, norma y closed valves for the respective pipes, the said valves having out- ,ward projecting inward movable stems and being arranged with the said stems extending Athe admission of dishes to be washed, means f toward each other in 'substantial alignment,

and two independently movable manually operablev levers respectively engaging the valve stems and parallelly pivoted at'oneside 55 thereof with handles at the other side thereof, one lever being movable in one direction to open one valve and the other being mov able in the other direction to open the other Vvalve and' the said levers being arranged with their handles reversed with respect, to

of thehandles toward each other causes the the respective valve stems-whereby movement valve stems to move away from each other. Y

.GEORGE WEBB. t 

